Boris unveils the first roadworthy Borismaster

[bb21]

Just like what happened previously. The high cost of such vehicles will mean little interest from other regions unless subsidised by the government.

 

[HSTEd]

You must be able to replace at least half the order witH Trolleybusses at a reasonable cost, especially with all the bus routes in London that seem to run at insanely high frequency.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Most London buses are "too old" after about ten years, and cascaded to "the provinces" where we have abandoned hope of regularly buying decent quantities of *new* buses in most towns/ cities.

I understand that in Greater Manchester, both First and Stagecoach have invested in fleets of new (and more "environmentally friendly") double-decker buses.

 

[tbtc]

I understand that in Greater Manchester, both First and Stagecoach have invested in fleets of new (and more "environmentally friendly") double-decker buses.

Yes, we have some of these E400Hs in Sheffield (in similarly small number).

But I did refer to "decent quantities" in my post - for example we have had more "ex London" buses arrive at First's South Yorkshire operations over the last five years than we have "brand new" buses (especially when you take out the brand new buses that were specified in contracts, such as the Sheffield FreeBee and the Doncaster P&R).

Many towns cities in the UK used to get decent quantities of brand new buses, whilst London kept running old Routemasters. Nowadays there are only a smattering of brand new buses in "the provinces" whilst cascaded mid-life London buses make up the rest of the "modern" buses.

 

[WatcherZero]

Theres also a Government grant so the bus companies arent making all the investment themselves.

 

[Schnellzug]

I see that Boris "Boris" Johnson has called for a referendum over the EU. Pity he couldn't have had one to let the People decide whether they wanted to see millions spent on developing a New Bus for London.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I see that Boris "Boris" Johnson has called for a referendum over the EU. Pity he couldn't have had one to let the People decide whether they wanted to see millions spent on developing a New Bus for London.

They aren't the same thing though, they're incomparable. There's a massive difference between an international union who a lot of people feel strongly against (including myself) and public transport...

 

[HSTEd]

I see that Boris "Boris" Johnson has called for a referendum over the EU. Pity he couldn't have had one to let the People decide whether they wanted to see millions spent on developing a New Bus for London.

Didn't he put the New Bus for London is his manifesto?

 

[Schnellzug]

Didn't he put the New Bus for London is his manifesto?

They put all sorts of things in manifestos, but how often do people painstakingly go through the manifesto to check whether they approve of every single Pledge or Promise? People usually just decide to vote for whoever comes over best on TV, don't they. I very much doubt whether the promise of the NB f L was the factor that decided many. Anyway, did Ken promise to scrap the RM? Didn't he, in fact, say just the opposite ("Anyone who wants to get rid of Routemasters muct be a ghastly dehumanised moron")?

 

[Mojo]

They put all sorts of things in manifestos, but how often do people painstakingly go through the manifesto to check whether they approve of every single Pledge or Promise? People usually just decide to vote for whoever comes over best on TV, don't they. I very much doubt whether the promise of the NB f L was the factor that decided many.

You cannot have a referendum for everything anyone does! The Boris Bus project did however receive loads of attention in debates and the media, so you cannot argue it was hidden away in the back pages of a manifesto somewhere.

Anyway, did Ken promise to scrap the RM? Didn't he, in fact, say just the opposite ("Anyone who wants to get rid of Routemasters muct be a ghastly dehumanised moron")?

Even if he did, in his defence, he didn't get rid of them, he ensured they still ran, on the heritage sections of route 8 and route 15. The Routemasters were ghastly buses to ride on as a passenger IMO, but iconic.

 

[jon0844]

Getting rid of the bendy buses from unsuitable routes was a good idea. But, beyond that, there are plenty of modern hybrid buses which would have been fine (IMO) to save the need to create something new.

But they have, so I hope they're good as the money has been committed/spent now.

 

[Deerfold]

Even if he did, in his defence, he didn't get rid of them, he ensured they still ran, on the heritage sections of route 8 and route 15. The Routemasters were ghastly buses to ride on as a passenger IMO, but iconic.

*ahem* 9 and 15

 

[Rational Plan]

They put all sorts of things in manifestos, but how often do people painstakingly go through the manifesto to check whether they approve of every single Pledge or Promise? People usually just decide to vote for whoever comes over best on TV, don't they. I very much doubt whether the promise of the NB f L was the factor that decided many. Anyway, did Ken promise to scrap the RM? Didn't he, in fact, say just the opposite ("Anyone who wants to get rid of Routemasters muct be a ghastly dehumanised moron")?

Most people would think it good that a politician has tried to honour their election pledges. While people may not know all the details of a manifesto, they know the big ones if someone mentions it all the time, as the lib dems have found to their cost. The problem Ken is that he has lied and lied again when it has come to fares never mind anything else.

 

[HSTEd]

They put all sorts of things in manifestos, but how often do people painstakingly go through the manifesto to check whether they approve of every single Pledge or Promise?

.... I do

 

[bb21]

Theres also a Government grant so the bus companies arent making all the investment themselves.

Indeed. Without government grant money, the order size for the rest of the country was miniscule, and had been cut back further at the onset of the financial crisis.

Hybrid technology is still at its infancy, compared to other proven technology such as trolleybuses. It might have a bright future, but it is still a big "if".

 

[Rational Plan]

Indeed. Without government grant money, the order size for the rest of the country was miniscule, and had been cut back further at the onset of the financial crisis.

Hybrid technology is still at its infancy, compared to other proven technology such as trolleybuses. It might have a bright future, but it is still a big "if".

I like the idea of trolley bus networks, but like electrification on the railways, the thing holding it back is upfront capital costs. What is the payback period for running trolley buses against the cost of capital for wiring up the streets.

You can see a future where a cities main streets had trolley bus wires, and hybrids ran on diesel electrics off the wire.